After Monday night’s 37-34 overtime loss to the Bills, Rams head coach Sean McVay couldn’t handle the regret.
After a fumble by Bills running back James Cook to open OT, the Rams had third-and-5 at the Bills’ 30-yard line with a chance to win the game. They played conservatively and ran the ball with Kyren Williams, setting up a 48-yard attempt for kicker Harrison Mevis.
Mevis, who previously missed a 50-yard attempt in regulation, had his kick blocked by Bills edge rusher Greg Rousseau. Josh Allen would waste no time, marching Buffalo down the field as Tyler Bass put a 45-yard game-winning field goal through the uprights.
McVay, speaking with reporters postgame, felt “sick” about his surprising lack of innovation on that crucial third-down play.
“I’m sick right now with myself. … I’m sick that we came up short. I’ll be regretting kicking that and not having a better call to be able to go for it on third down and go to fourth, or whatever it was. That’s on me,” McVay said.
Special teams has been the Achilles heel for the Rams since last season, when they lost a regular-season game to the Eagles due to a blocked field goal.
Now with new special teams coordinator Bobby Ventrone in command, the woes that unit possesses are still inescapable.
The loss spoiled a 383-yard, three-touchdown game from Matthew Stafford alongside a record-breaking 17-reception performance from Puka Nacua. He finished the game with 138 receiving yards and one touchdown.
The Bills improved to 4-1 under new head coach Joe Brady thanks to another MVP-esque game from Allen. The All-Pro quarterback completed 12 of 19 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown while adding 121 yards on the ground and a score.
The Rams (2-3) may regret this loss later in the season as they compete for positioning in the highly competitive NFC West.
